The Future in the Past
by charli911
Summary: Desoto and Gage-2nd generation! What happens when the children of Roy and Johnny join the firefighting family. Originally archived at Two Chickies.


_**THE FUTURE IN THE PAST**_

by Charli911

Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

I do not own the men and women of Emergency! and only use them here for the purposes of entertainment. No money is made and I hope the creators, writers and actors appreciate that they're creation still resonates with fans after all these years.

Originally archived at Two Chickies

/

"Morning, Cap."

"Good morning, Jonesy. How's my station this morning?"

"Just fine, sir," Tim Jones assured him. "All ready for inspection."

"Good, good," replied the Captain. "I want this to be the best inspection we've every had. The Chief is an old friend, and I wouldn't want him to think I'd let my people get away with anything. We used to work together in this very station house, you know."

"Right, Cap," nodded the red-headed Jones. "I remember you said that. Don't worry, we won't let you down."

The Captain continued to the kitchen, ready for a large cup of some of the best coffee a firehouse ever had. Sean O'Riley sure knew how to make a good cup of coffee. And today the Cap wanted the best. They were going to have a very important guest today and he wanted everything to be perfect.

As he walked into the kitchen, the rest of the shift greeted him.

"Morning, Cap'n"

"Captain, how about some coffee?"

"Hey, Cap, what time is this inspection?"

The Captain looked at the men, and one woman, who made up his shift and smiled. These were some of the best people he had ever worked with in all the years he'd been on the department. He greeted them all, and took a proffered cup of coffee from Dave Deacon.

Deacon was a big man, blond, muscular and the oldest one on the crew. Deke never said much...never had to. He let his work speak for him. But when he did talk, everybody listened. Because he knew what he was talking about. The Captain sat down at the communal table and enjoyed his coffee, savoring that first sip.

"Ahhh, Irish my lad, you have outdone yourself," Cap told O'Riley, "This is the best cup of coffee you've ever made." He raised his coffee cup in toast to their resident coffee-meister.

O'Riley nodded his thanks, as Scott Finley, the youngster on the crew, looked out the window. "Hey Cap," said Finley, "I think the new chief just pulled into the parking lot."

The Captain jumped up and ran to the window. He smiled, turning to his crew.

"That's him, boys and girls," he said. "Let's show him what kind of station this is."

With that, they headed out to the apparatus floor and lined up for the inspection.

The new battalion chief walked in through the open back door of the apparatus floor, just as the Captain figured he would. As he entered, he looked over at the Captain, and a smile lit up his face. He walked over to the man he had known for over 20 years.

"Well, if it isn't Captain John Gage," he quipped, offering his hand in greeting. "Damn, it's good to see ya, Johnny."

"Hello, Roy," Gage replied. "That rank sure looks good on your collar. Chief Desoto...man, that has a nice ring to it!"

/

They sat at the desk in Gage's office. This office used to be the domain of Hank Stanley, who was the Captain at Station 51 when Gage and DeSoto were paramedics here. It felt weird to be here now.

John Gage leaned back in his chair, happy for a few minutes to relax and catch up with an old friend.

"So, Roy," he began, "How's Joanne? I haven't seen her in quite a while."

"She's doing just fine," Roy replied. "She asks about you all the time. Wanted me to be sure to invite you for dinner on Sunday. It's her birthday, so you can't say 'no'."

Gage chuckled, "Then I guess I'd better be there."

Desoto looked at Gage across the desk. His friend had been through a lot lately. But he was looking a lot better than the last time Roy had seen him.

"So, how's it going with you?" he asked Gage.

Johnny stared off into space, thinking about the last few months of his life. They had been the worst he had ever gone through. He thought about his wife, Julie, beautiful, funny, the love of his life. It had taken him a long time to find someone he wanted to settled down with. But he finally did. Life was great. They had a daughter, a wonderful young woman who had her mother's looks and her father's compassion.

Then six months ago, a fire had taken his wife from him. He had been at work, and she had died in her sleep, when faulty wiring in their new home caused the house to burn down around her. His daughter had been spared only because she had spent the night with a friend.

He didn't think he'd ever get over it. His wife-the wife of a firefighter-killed in a fire. He had been devastated. Thank God for his daughter. She helped him see that he couldn't run away from it. Helped him to see that it hadn't been his fault. He'd almost quit the department. How could he pretend to save others, when he couldn't even save his own. But the man sitting

across the table from him, this man who had been his friend for what seemed like forever, had convinced him that he could still make a difference, had convinced him to stay.

His daughter and his best friend-they had helped him get back on track. He couldn't imagine what his life would be like without the two of them.

Johnny shook of the depressing mood and looked back at this friend. Roy had been waiting patiently for Gage to come out of his momentary funk. He remembered a time when that funk had seemed permanent. He was glad to see the guy was back to normal. Or as normal as could be for John Gage.

"I'm doing good, Roy," John said, "Tell Joanne I'll be there. It'll be nice to see her again. It's been way too long."

"The kids will even be there," Roy told him. "Jennifer has been dating so much, she's never home! And since Chris started paramedic training, he's been real busy, so we haven't seen much of him. Thankfully his training is almost over. It'll be nice to see then both in the same place, at the same time."

"Damn, Chris DeSoto, second generation paramedic," Gage mused. "We're getting old Roy!"

DeSoto nodded, laughing. Both remembered when they started out as paramedics, when the program was just getting started. Even some of the doctors didn't think it was a good idea in the beginning. But they had been able to make a difference. And Roy was proud that his son had decided to get into the profession as well.

Roy gazed around the office, spotting a framed photo on Gage's desk It was a young woman, about 19 years old, long black hair.

"Is this a new picture?" Roy asked, picking it up to get a better look.

"Yeah," John answered. "She looks more like her mom every day, doesn't she?"

"She certainly has Julie's looks...good thing, too. So what's Stephanie up to? You should bring her with you on Sunday. I'd love to see her."

"My daughter wants to be called 'Stevie' now. And as a matter of fact, she's getting ready to follow in her father's footsteps, too. She informed me that she was going to become a firefighter. She starts the academy next month. I was surprised at first, but when I really thought about it, well, ya know, I think she'd be good at it. She's strong, and you know how athletic she is. I just wonder what her mom would think, you know, especially considering..."

"Yeah, I know," agreed Roy. "But, I think her mom would want her to do whatever makes her happy. Oh, she'd worry, like any parent. Hell, I still worry about Chris. But Stephanie-excuse me 'Stevie'-is pretty level-headed, so I don't think she'd do anything foolish. She wouldn't willingly put herself in danger. Not like her father."

The comment brought a smile to Gage's face. "Remember that time I got bit by that rattler?"

"That's exactly my point," insisted DeSoto. "I think your daughter would be the type to look before she leaped. She's more like her mother that way. And I think she would make a great firefighter. I'll have to make a point of calling her and welcoming her to job."

Gage was glad that Roy was supportive. He was a little unsure that he wanted his daughter in this kind of work, but he didn't want to admit it, not even to himself.

Just then, the klaxons started. The pair hated to interrupt their reunion, but duty did call.

"See ya later, Roy," called Gage as he headed toward the door. "Give me a call and let me know what time to be there on Sunday. And I'll check with Stevie, see if she can make it."

"I will. Take it easy, Johnny. And be careful," Roy reminded him.

DeSoto followed Gage out toward the apparatus floor and watched his friend climb onto the engine, remembering when they used to respond to calls together. He finished his coffee and took the cup into kitchen, washing it out before he set it on the counter. He wistfully looked around his old station house before walking back out to his car and heading back to work.

/

Two weeks later, Chris Desoto walked into his new station. This is where he would do the on-the-job portion of his training. He was a little apprehensive about doing his training at this particular station, but at the same time, proud that he would be at the same station where his father had worked. The apprehension came because his new captain here would be the man his father had worked with for so many years, John Gage. His dad had once remarked that Gage was the second best paramedic he knew. And that Gage had learned everything he knew from the best paramedic he knew-Roy DeSoto. Both Gage and his dad always got a laugh out of that one.

Chris had known 'Uncle Johnny' since he was a kid. He knew the kind of man he was, and through his father, knew the kind of firefighter he was as well. Chris had a lot of respect for John Gage, and was glad to have the chance to work with him, to be on his crew.

"Well, if it isn't Chris DeSoto," quipped a voice behind him. "It's about time you got yourself to my station, son."

Chris recognized that voice. He turned around to face his new Captain.

"Hello, Uncle John," Chris greeted him.

Gage winced. "Uncle John? Please, around here it's just John, or Captain. Leave the 'uncle' for family gatherings, okay. Or better yet, forget it altogether. You're an adult now Chris, a professional firefighter. I think we can deal with each other on a more mature level now."

DeSoto nodded, shaking hands with Gage.

"Okay, Captain," Chris agreed. "I appreciate that. I look forward to working with you here. I remember coming here as a kid to see my dad. You and Dad sure used to talk about this station a lot. It's part of my family history. I kinda like that."

"I feel the same way about this station, Chris. That's why I jumped at the chance to come back here. Let's go in and I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew." They walked into the station house kitchen, a normal gathering place in most firehouses. The crew was already there, as it usually was, having coffee and talking about what they'd done on their recent days off. They looked up as Gage and Chris DeSoto walked in to the room.

"Hey, Cap, who's the rookie?"

"Oh, good, fresh blood."

"Hey, Lisa, looks like your trainee is here."

"Just what we need, another boot!"

Gage just shook his head at his crew. "Don't let them give you a hard time, Chris, they're really a good crew. They just don't remember what it was like when they were new to this station."

At that comment, the entire crew jumped up from there seats, came over to Chris DeSoto and properly welcomed him to the crew. Handshakes and welcomes over with, Gage led Chris over to the table and spoke to a woman sitting there, enjoying a cup of coffee. She was medium height, about 25 years old, and had her brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"Lisa Morgan, this is Chris Desoto," John began. "Chris, Lisa will be one of your training officers while you're here at 51. She's the best paramedic I've seen since your dad, so listen to what she says. You will learn a lot from her. You'll get to know everybody else in good time. And Lisa's partner, your other training officer, will be here in about 15 minutes. He's finishing up a little department business. Lisa will introduce you to him when he shows up."

"C'mon Chris," Lisa said, "Let's get you set up with a locker and bunk." She stood up, placed her now empty coffee cup in the sink and led DeSoto out of the kitchen to show him where he'd be bunking.

/

"Morgan, Hanley, in my office, please," yelled Gage.

"On our way, Cap," Morgan yelled in return.

Lisa Morgan walked in the Captain's office, followed by her partner Marcus Hanley, a tall, lean black man. Gage waved his hand at Lisa, indicating that he wanted her to shut the door behind her. She closed the door as Hanley grabbed a chair, spinning it around so he could straddle it, hanging his forearms over the back.

"What's up Cap?" asked Marcus, as Lisa also took a seat.

"Where's your trainee?" inquired Gage.

"Cleaning and re-supplying the squad, Captain," replied Morgan.

"How's he doing?"

Marcus and Lisa exchanged glances. They both knew that Gage was trying not to show too much interest in DeSoto, because he didn't want to show favoritism. Yet he still had to be kept informed about Chris' progress, since he was the station captain.

"He's doing okay, Captain. I think he's still a little uncomfortable," said Lisa.

"It's only been a couple of weeks. But his work is topnotch," Hanley added.

"Good, good," answered Gage, while he shuffled through some papers on his desk. He was preoccupied with something, that much was clear.

"So, how is his work?" Gage asked.

Morgan sat forward in her chair and glanced over at Marcus. "What do you mean, Cap? His work is top notch, as Marcus just told you."

"Yeah, good, okay."

"Captain, are you okay?" asked Hanley. "You seem, well, a little, ahh, well...not here, if you know what I mean."

Gage looked up then, a little embarrassed that he had let his mind wander like that. "Sorry, guys, I got a lot on my mind. Now, what were you saying about Chris?"

"He's doing good, Cap, about where he should be at this stage of his training," explained Marcus. "Captain, are you okay? Anything we can do to help?"

"No, no, thanks," Gage shook his head. "Just family stuff." Leaning back in his chair, he ran his hand through his gray streaked hair, which was cut in a short military-style. A small smile appeared on his face as he looked at his two paramedics and he decided to share his news. "My daughter starts the academy today," he confided. "I guess I'm just a little anxious to know how it's going."

"Captain Gage, that's great!" cried Morgan. "It's about time, too. I knew that girl would come to her senses. But how come you didn't tell us before? We would have thrown her a party!"

"Yeah, Cap, the girl is like family to us," Hanley agreed. "After all, she's practically lived here the last few years. Come to think of it, how come she didn't tell us?"

"She didn't want to make a big deal out of it," Gage explained, happy that his crew felt that way about his kid. "I think she wants to keep things low-key until she decides whether she's going to like it or not. If she ends up not doing well, she doesn't want to be embarrassed about dropping out."

"Not do well?" questioned Lisa. "Cap, that girl will probably graduate at the top of her class!"

Secretly, Gage thought so too, but didn't want to say it out loud, for fear people would just think he was bragging. Then he thought, what the hell, I would be bragging, and so what. His daughter was something to brag about. "Yeah, you're probably right," he nodded. "I think she'll do okay. She's a smart kid. I expect her to be battalion chief before she turns thirty."

The two paramedics laughed, agreeing. They heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Gage.

The door opened and Chris Gage poked his head inside. "Excuse me Cap, but the Chief wants to talk to you on the phone. Deacon says he's on line 1."

"Thanks, DeSoto," he acknowledged, then turned to Hanley and Morgan. "That's all I needed to talk to you about. Keep me informed about his progress...Oh, and about the other thing we talked about, keep that quiet for now. I want her to be the one to break the news, okay?"

"Sure, Cap," said Morgan, as Marcus just nodded his assent.

Gage reached for the phone as the others left his office.

"Captain Gage," he spoke into the phone. "What can I do for you Chief?"

"Well, that depends, Captain," replied Roy DeSoto. "I'm just calling to inform 'Dad' Gage that I saw his daughter this morning. I gave the orientation speech at the academy today."

"Hello, Roy," answered Johnny, always glad to hear from his former partner. "So, how's my little girl doing on her first day of school?"

"Better than her first day at kindergarten," Roy responded. "If I remember correctly you told me she cried for hours that day."

Gage chuckled, remembering with fondness the day he and his wife had dropped Stevie off for school that first day. It had been almost as hard for them as it had been for her. Julie had cried all the way home. Gage had ended up buying them both a bouquet of flowers and taking them out to dinner at Stevie's favorite restaurant that night. He only wished Julie was here for this milestone in their daughter's life as well.

"Oh, man, do I remember that day," mused Johnny. "My baby girl's first day at school. I almost cried myself that day. What am I saying-I did cry that day! And look at her now, Roy! I wish I could have been there, but I promised her I'd be cool about it."

"Yeah, well you're 'baby girl' isn't a baby any more, my friend. She's all grown up. And I'll tell ya, I was awful proud of my god-daughter when I looked out and saw her sitting there. You should be too."

"Oh, I am, believe me. I can't wait 'til the day she graduates. She won't be able to keep me away from that one. You can bet I will be the proudest parent in the audience. I only wish Julie could be there to share it with me."

"She'll be there, Johnny, if you let her be."

Gage didn't know how to respond to that one, so he changed the subject. "Your kid is doing pretty good himself, Roy. Almost through his second week and my people tell me he's doing great."

"But, of course. He is a DeSoto, after all."

"Yeah, must have got his brains from Joanne's side of the family," Gage joked.

Roy chuckled. "Joanne would probably agree with you on that one. Well, pal, I've got to go. I have a couple of meetings today, and have a lot of paperwork to complete before then. I just wanted to let you know, you don't have to worry about Stevie. She's going to do just fine."

"Thanks, Roy," said Johnny, "I appreciate you saying that. It means a lot coming from you. Take care and give my love to Joanne and Jennifer."

"I will. Talk to ya later."

Gage hung up the phone, grateful to his friend for once again knowing exactly what to say, and when to say it. Johnny had stayed away at Stevie's request, but that hadn't made it easier on him. Knowing that Roy had been there for Stevie's first day at the academy made Johnny feel better about not being there himself.

/

It was graduation night. John Gage was getting dressed, ready for the biggest night in his daughter's life. As he straightened his tie in the mirror he glanced down at a photo of his wife. He hesitated for a second, then finished putting the finishing touches to his suit. Glancing down again, he reached for Julie's picture and carried it with him as he sat on the edge of his bed.

A sad look came over his face as his finger traced the face in the photo. It had been almost a year, and he still missed her like it was yesterday. He felt the tears start again, like they did every time he looked at her beautiful face.

But today was supposed to be a happy day. He wiped his hand across his eyes and walked back to the dresser and set the photo back in it's place. Today was for Stevie and he wasn't about to spoil it by still mourning her mother. Julie would be proud of their daughter, and John was determined that Stevie would know her father was equally as proud.

/

The ceremony had been tremendous. It brought back memories of his own graduation so many years ago. Some things had changed, but the feeling of finishing something you had worked so hard for was still right there in front of him. And Stevie had looked so good in that uniform. Roy and Joanne DeSoto sat next to Johnny during the ceremony, which made him all the more proud. They were his best friends in the world and he was glad they could share this night with him. He only wished Julie...

As if reading his mind, Joanne reached over and laid her hand on his arm. When he looked up at her, she was smiling, but he could see her eyes were watering too. He smiled back, a smile tinged with sadness. "She's here, Johnny," Joanne whispered. "She's watching and she's excited for Stephanie. You know that, don't you?"

Gage just nodded, finding it hard to put his thoughts into words, his throat constricted with emotions. But he felt Julie's presence too...even more so ever time he looked at Stephanie.

Lost in his thoughts, he looked up when a cheer went up. He joined the applause for the newly graduated firefighters and then followed as the others filed out of the auditorium. He looked around for Stevie, but couldn't see her in the crowd.

But he heard her, as she called to him.

"Dad," she shouted. "Dad, I did it! I got through! I can't believe it! Can you believe it, Dad?!" She ran toward him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. And he hugged right back, pulling her tight to him, never wanting to let her go.

His baby was growing up, and one part of him didn't want her to. But he knew it was inevitable and he was just happy she had found something she loved. And something she was quite good at, as it turned out. She had finished close to the top of her class.

Roy DeSoto intruded into the family moment. "So, when do the rest of us get the chance to congratulate the graduate?" he said with a smile on his face.

Stevie released herself from her father's grip and turned to face DeSoto.

"Uncle Roy," she remarked, "I'm so glad you and Aunt Joanne came tonight. I don't think it would have been the same without you." And she hugged Roy and then Joanne.

"We are so proud of you, Stephanie," Joanne told her. "And your mom would be proud too, I hope you know that."

Stevie nodded. "I know, Aunt Joanne. I think she'd approve."

"Chris said to tell you congratulations," Roy told her. "He was sorry he couldn't be here, but he got called in to work when Spencer's wife went into labor."

Stevie nodded her understanding as the four joined the rest of the crowd, which was headed out of the auditorium.

"So, did you get your assignment yet?" asked Roy.

"Yeah, Station 39," she told him. "Jack Burns will be my Captain."

"He's a good man," DeSoto assured her. "You'll learn a lot from him."

"Funny, that's what Dad keeps telling me," she replied.

"You'll learn a lot from him, too," Roy responded.

"Yeah, he keeps telling me that, as well," she laughed, and they all joined her in the laughter.

/

"Morning, Captain Gage," called Deacon.

"Hey, Deke," replied John, "How was the camping trip this weekend?"

"Actually, Cap, I ended up not going," he explained. "My brother called and said it was raining, so we decided to stay home. I wound up doing some overtime at Station 39 on Sunday." Deacon look over at Gage, trying to judge his reaction. Stephanie Gage had been working that day and he was curious to see if the Captain would ask about her.

Gage's hand paused while lifting his cup of coffee.

"Is that so?" he asked hesitantly, trying not to sound too interested.

"Yep."

"Get any good calls?"

"A couple."

A frustrated Gage set his coffee cup down and crossed his arms, looking at Deke. "Are you going to make me ask, Deacon?"

Deacon chuckled, glancing at his captain. "Sorry, Captain. Just messin' with you. She did great. We had a couple of tough calls. She didn't hesitate and she pulled her load. Better than a lot of probies I've seen. She's good Cap. When she gets a little experience behind her she'll probably be bucking for Chief."

Johnny nodded his thanks. Deacon's assurances calmed him a bit. He'd been on edge for the last couple of months. Stevie was very tight lipped whenever he asked about the job. He wasn't sure if she was having problems or just trying to be independent. And he didn't want to talk to her Captain, for fear she would think he was interfering. So hearing from Deke that she was doing so well reassured him that she was just testing his promise to keep his distance. He felt a little better.

/

The fire was a big one. A large chemical warehouse was fully involved when Engine 51 arrived on the scene. Gage could see at least four other stations had arrived already by the time his crew got on scene. This one would probably go to five alarms before all was said and done.

The report was that people were still in the building and a search was being done by some of the firefighters, while others tried to contain the blaze. Because of the chemicals involved everyone was in full gear, including air tanks, even those outside the building. Police were beginning an evacuation of the area, as well.

Gage conferred with the Battalion Chief then began to deploy his crew where they were needed. As Deacon and Jones pulled hoses from the rear of the engine, Lisa and Hanley, along with Chris DeSoto suited up to assist in the building search. This was going to be DeSoto's last week with the crew, thought Gage. He was going to make a good paramedic.

It took over four hours to contain the fire and begin to knock it down. He had lost track of his paramedic crew. They had already been to the hospital twice. He would probably catch up with them back at they station. They were beginning the clean-up when the Battalion Chief walked over to where Gage was standing with his engine crew, getting ready to pack up their hoses.

"Captain Gage," he began. "Can I talk to you for a moment."

"Sure, Chief," he replied. Then turning to Deacon, "Deke, finish up here, I'll be right back."

He and the Chief walked a short distance away from the engine. Deacon happened to glance over just as Gage staggered, looking like he'd been punched in the stomach. Deke started toward his Captain, concerned by the look of horror on his face. Deacon couldn't imagine what had caused this kind of reaction in Gage. As he got closer, he heard the tail end of a comment made by the Chief.

"...on the way to the hospital, John. Jack will take you over there. I'll go back to the station with your crew and explain what's going on." He then looked toward a fireman standing about 10 feet away. "Jack, take Captain Gage to Rampart, then pick me up at Station 51."

"Right, Chief," answered the firefighter. "C'mon, Cap, I'll get you there fast, I promise."

In a daze, Johnny allowed the man to take his arm and lead him to the Chief's car. They drove off and headed to Rampart Hospital.

The Chief watched the vehicle as it left the fire scene, not noticing Deacon walk up behind him. "Chief? Is the Cap okay?"

The Chief turned to face Deke, a sad look on his face. "No, Deke, he's not. His daughter was hurt during this fire. She's on her way to the hospital, but it doesn't look good."

"Oh, God!" Deacon was floored, not sure how to react. Not Stephanie! Hadn't the captain been through enough? The chief placed a hand on Deke's shoulder, trying to let him know that he understood.

"Let's go tell your crew, Deke. This is going to be a tough time for John. He's going to need all his friends."

And they walked over to the engine to break the news to Gage's crew.

/

_**CHAPTER 2 **_

Gage was sitting with his head in his hands when Roy DeSoto slowly opened the door and walked into the room. A feeling of deja vu came over him, and he felt exactly like he did when he'd talked to John after Julie was brought into the hospital. The only difference was that Julie had been beyond help. With Stevie there was a chance that she could pull through. And Roy was determined to make Johnny understand that.

He stood there for a moment, not quite sure how to approach his friend. Then he reached for a chair and pulled it over, placing it across from Gage. He reached out his hand, hesitated, then placed in on John's shoulder.

Gage didn't seem to notice his presence, though. Quietly, he called Johnny's name. Still Gage didn't respond. So he shook him and called his name a bit louder.

"John, are you with me?" he called.

Slowly, very slowly, John Gage lowered his hands from his face. His eyes were red and tears were flowing down his face. And even though Roy knew what John was going through, it still didn't prepare him for what he saw. He gasped, taken aback at the look of grief and utter despair etched on Johnny's face. Gage's hands were shaking and he had been sobbing so hard he was having trouble catching his breath.

Roy reached out his other hand to his friend, placing it on John's other shoulder.

"Not again, Roy," he cried. "I can't go through this again!" He began sobbing again, sobs that racked his body, his agony suffocating him. DeSoto wrapped his arms around his friend, knowing it was all he could do. No amount of explanations or consolation would help. What Johnny needed now was just someone who would allow him to cry. Someone who would cry with him. Roy was ready to do that for his friend.

Eventually, John exhausted himself. He pulled away from Roy and collapsed back against the couch he was sitting in, leaning his head back, staring at the ceiling. Roy waited patiently, allowing Johnny the time he needed to gather his thoughts.

Gage lifted his head, looking at Roy. These two men had been through a lot together. Roy had been with him every step of the way when Julie died, and during her funeral. He had stood by him when he thought of quitting. And he understood John's initial apprehension when Stephanie decided to get into this profession. John was glad that Roy was here, if only because it gave him someone to vent at.

Johnny was angry...at himself, at the department, at Stevie. As he thought that, he felt ashamed that he was angry at her while she was fighting for her life. But he couldn't deny it. At this moment he hated that she had become a firefighter. He hated himself because he didn't protest more when she told him that's what she wanted to do.

"Johnny...?" Roy began.

"Sometimes I really hate this job, Roy."

"It was unavoidable, John. I talked to the Chief and he..."

"Unavoidable!" John interrupted. "My God, Roy. My daughter is dying! She was in the middle of building that was on fire! And I let her be there!"

"She wanted to be there, John. It was her own decision," Roy insisted.

Gage was shaking his head, already dismissing Roy's argument. "I should have talked her out of it, Roy," he persisted. "I should have forbidden her to get involved in this work."

"Forbidden?! John, she's your daughter, but she's also an adult. She thought long and hard about this. She talked to a lot of people, me included, trying to get every point of view. She weighed all of the pros and cons, and still decided this was what she wanted to do."

"You talked to her?" John asked. "You mean, after I told you she was going to the academy, right?"

Roy hesitated, not sure how Johnny would react. "No, Johnny, I talked to her before she made her final decision."

"What?! You never told me that. Kind of a big secret to keep from your best friend, isn't it?"

"I promised Stevie I wouldn't say anything. She really wanted you to be the first one to know. John, all I did was give her honest answers to her questions. She knew all about the dangers going in. She entered the academy with her eyes wide open."

"I can't believe this!" John exclaimed. "My best buddy, letting my only daughter get into this!"

"Letting her?...Johnny look..." Roy didn't know what to say. John was reacting irrationally. Roy figured it was just the emotions of the moment and he didn't want to make it worse. So he just shut up. He figured if he just let Gage voice his rage, then he would settle down and they could talk.

Gage continued to yell, blaming everything on Roy, the department, himself. Roy had never seen him like this. He was half expecting Johnny to start throwing things. And he wasn't sure he wanted to be in the room if that happened.

/

Dixie walked down the corridor toward the lounge where she'd left John Gage. A small crowd was gathered outside the door and she could hear a lot of yelling from inside.

"What's going on?" she inquired.

"Don't know, Miss McCall," offered one nurse. "We were going in to have a cup of coffee, but it sounds like world war three going on in there."

"Okay, okay, let's clear the area. Get your coffee in the cafeteria this time."

As the others wandered off, still curious to know what the commotion was all about, Dixie warily opened the door and poked her head inside. She saw Roy Desoto standing off to the side, watching Johnny, who seemed to be in the midst of a violent tantrum.

"Damn it, Roy," he was screaming, "You should have talked her out of it. She trusted you! Why didn't you talk her out of it?!" He spun around then to face Roy, and seeing Dixie, fell quiet.

Roy followed his gaze and noticed Dixie standing in the doorway. For a moment, no one said anything. Johnny looked at Dixie, fear written on his face, afraid to hear what she had come to tell him.

"Stevie?..." he asked, uncertainly.

Dixie came fully into the room and walked over to John, placing her hand on his arm. "She's out of surgery and in recovery. It'll be a couple of hours before you can see her. But she got through surgery just fine. She has a broken leg, and skull fracture. And her left lung collapsed. But she is breathing okay, so it looks like she didn't breath in any of the chemicals. That's good news, Johnny."

Johnny let out the breath he had been holding since he saw Dixie standing there. Roy gazed at John, who looked about ready to collapse from the ordeal of the last few hours, and the tirade he had recently unleashed. Gage tried to walk over to couch, but his legs didn't seem to want to carry him.

Roy jumped up from his chair, grabbed hold of him and helped him to sit.

"Thanks, Roy," he said, his voice quiet, still overcome with emotion.

"Anytime, partner," DeSoto told him.

A crooked smile crossed Johnny's face. Roy hadn't called him that in a long then, they hadn't been partners in a long time.

Johnny looking at Roy sheepishly, embarrassed about the way he had just treated his former partner and best friend. "Sorry, Roy."

"Nothing to be sorry for, pal."

"Nothing? Roy, I just tore into you, blaming you for everything that's gone bad in my life over the last year. That was wrong. I was wrong. And I'm sorry. None of this is your fault and I shouldn't be taking it out on you."

Roy just smiled, "If not me, then who? You just needed to get it off your chest, Johnny, I realize that. Don't worry, I didn't take any of it personally."

"At least she's out of surgery." John looked at Dixie, who hand sat down next to him on the couch. "So, what now Dix? How is she, really?"

"Well, Johnny, she's not completely out of danger yet. Once she gets out of recovery, we'll take her to ICU. We want to keep a close watch on her, make sure no complications come up. Our biggest concerns are the lung and the head injury. We want to be sure she doesn't develop pneumonia. And of course we'll keep an eye to be sure no bleeders start up in the brain."

Johnny was nodding. He knew all this, but it was reassuring to hear Dixie talk about it so matter-of -factly. She seemed to be concerned, but not overly so. He was relieved to know that she would be looking after his daughter.

"Who did the surgery? Who will be taking care of her, Dix?"

"Only the best doctor in the business. Kel Brackett."

Johnny looked at Roy, then back at Dixie.

"Brackett? But I thought he wasn't doing surgery anymore."

"He isn't. But when he found out the daughter of one of his favorite people needed his help, he couldn't stay away."

Johnny looked at the floor, unable to voice his gratitude. Sometimes he couldn't believe the luck he had with the people who had become such a big part of his life. These were some of the most wonderful people he had ever met, and he was glad he could call them his friends.

"Oh, and Roy," added Dixie, "I checked on Chris before I came down. He's doing just fine. The arm is in a cast and he'll be with us overnight, for observation. But he's going to be okay."

Confused, Johnny glanced at Roy. "Chris? Roy, what happened to Chris?"

"He was at the fire too, Johnny, remember? He was in the room with Stevie when the roof came down."

"Roy, why didn't you tell me?! Man, I've been ranting and raving about Stevie, and all this time your own son was injured and you didn't say a word. My God, Roy, I'm sorry. Man, I'm so sorry."

"Johnny, it's okay. I knew before I came in here that Chris was going to be fine. I had already talked to him. In fact, that's how I found out Stevie was hurt. Chris told me."

"Both our kids couldn't been killed today, Roy."

"Johnny, did anybody tell you exactly what happened? Your daughter is a heroine. She saved some lives today."

"What are you talking about, Roy?"

"Johnny, I, for one, am grateful that Stevie decided to become a firefighter. If she hadn't Chris might have burned in that building. Stevie carried him out. And then went back in for two more injured fireman. She was on her way back for the fourth when the wall fell on her. If she hadn't been there, they might all have died. She saved my son."

Johnny was speechless. He hadn't known the circumstances of Stevie's accident. Now that he knew, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

Dixie pushed herself up from the couch, walking toward the door. As she grabbed the handle to pull it open, she turned back to look at Gage.

"Kel should be down in a few minutes to give you an update. He wanted to wait until she was settled in ICU. Why don't I tell him to meet you in the cafeteria. You need to eat something."

"I'm not really hungry Dix..." Johnny started.

"That's an order, Captain," Dixie insisted. "And I will drag you there myself if I have to."

Johnny looked at Roy, who just shrugged, then back at Dixie McCall. He nodded, saying, "Yes, Ma'am," and looked at the floor. Satisfied, Dixie headed out the door.

Johnny heard Roy chuckling beside him. Looking over at him, Johnny just frowned.

"Well, I guess we better get on down to the cafeteria," Johnny told Roy. "If we're not there when Brackett gets there, Dixie will have our hides."

And so the friends got up from the couch and headed for the cafeteria.

/

Johnny sat at his daughter's bedside, willing her to wake up. They had just moved her into ICU and this was the first chance he'd had to visit her. When he first saw her, saw all the wires and machines she was hooked up to, he had been afraid to touch her. He didn't want to disturb any IV's. So he just took her hand and held it, occasionally brushing her forehead with his other hand.

Roy was in the waiting room with Joanne, who had come down when Roy called to tell her about Chris. Assured by Chris that he was okay, Joanne had joined Roy and Johnny in a vigil, waiting for Stevie to wake up.

At about three o'clock in the morning, Dixie walked into Stevie's room. John was sitting in a chair next to her bed, holding her hand, asleep with his head on the mattress beside her. Dixie checked her chart and then set about getting a new set of vitals. As she bent to check her pupils, she realized that Stevie was awake. She stared up at Dixie and then glanced at her father. She smiled as she watched him sleep. Dixie winked at her and then reached over to wake Gage. But Stevie stopped her with a gesture. Let him sleep, she seemed to be saying. And Dixie understood. She finished taking her vitals and entered them on the chart. Then she left to notify Kel Brackett that his patient was awake.

Carefully, so as not to dislodge the IV, Stevie squeezed her father's hand, and moved a finger to caress his cheek. Johnny stirred, not quite sure what woke him. He looked around, realizing he was still in his daughter's hospital room. He sighed, glancing at her face. His eyes widened as he realized she was watching him. He took in a quick breath.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he said with a smile. "It's about time you opened those gorgeous green eyes."

Although she couldn't talked because of the breathing tube that was still inserted, she squeezed his hand again, to let him know that she was okay.

Dr. Brackett walked into the room then, followed by Dixie and another nurse.

"Well, I hear our star patient has finally decided to come back to us."

She nodded slightly, as Brackett brought his stethoscope out of his pocket and began to check out her breathing.

"Well, young lady, it sounds like things are settling down a bit. But I want to keep the respirator in for a little longer just to be sure. I know it's uncomfortable, but I don't want to take any chances."

Nodding again, Stevie squeezed her father's hand, glancing at him. He bent over her and kissed her forehead.

"You're going to be just fine, honey."

Stevie tried to talk around the tube, but stopped when it proved too difficult. But her father knew what she was trying to say.

"The others are okay. A couple of minor injuries. Chris has a broken arm, but he'll be out of the hospital tomorrow. You saved his life, baby. I'm so proud of you." He looked at her, his eyes watering. "I was so scared. I thought I was going to lose you too," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Never, she mouthed, shaking her head.

"John, can we have a couple of minutes?" asked Brackett. "We have a few tests to run. I'll come get you when you can come back in."

Reluctantly, he released his daughter's hand and left the room. He walked into the waiting room, and saw Roy and Joanne sitting on the sofa. Joanne was leaning her head on Roy's shoulder and Roy had his arm around her. They appeared to be asleep.

Suddenly the emotions of the last day overwhelmed him. He began to cry again, silently. He closed his eyes, trying to staunch the flow.

Roy, half asleep, thought he heard a noise. Opening his eyes, he saw Johnny standing in the room. He appeared to be crying. Oh, God, no! Something must have happened.

"Johnny?" he asked. Joanne moved in his arms, coming awake herself. Roy, a concerned look on his face, got up and moved to where Johnny stood. "Johnny?" he said again. Gage looked at him, a huge smile on his face.

"She's awake, Roy!" he cried. "She's awake. She opened her eyes and looked at me. She squeezed my hand. She's going to be okay, Roy. She's gonna be alright."

"Johnny, that's wonderful," exclaimed Joanne as she moved past Roy and hugged Johnny. "I knew it. She's a fighter, that girl of yours!"

Johnny nodded, hugging Joanne back. He looked over Joanne's shoulder at Roy, who was standing there with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. "She's awake Roy," he repeated, quietly, in awe. "She's awake."

"Yeah," was all DeSoto could get out, before Johnny gave him a hug, too.

"Thanks, Roy," he spoke into Roy's ear. "I don't think I could have gotten through this without you. I can never tell you how much it means to me that you're here."

"Where else would a friend be, Johnny?" asked Roy, moving back and looking at Gage with an expression that said the answer was obvious. They hugged each other again. And when Dixie and Kel Brackett walked in a minute later, they got hugs as well.

His daughter was fine. His world was fine. His best friend was here. He had a smile on his face that wasn't going to go away anytime soon.

THE END


End file.
